Black and White

I find black and white photos especially alluring, and my older son seems to be fascinating with them also. Someday I will return to writing with words but for now I'll stick with speaking through images.

photos by AC

A Walk Through the Cemetery.

There are many parks in Baku, some of them are lined with trees, some - with concrete, most of them crowded with people. It makes Faxri Xiyəbani Cemetery, which of course technically isn’t a park, but nominally is, the most tranquil place of the city.

Upon entering it the noise and rush of the city are fallen behind and you come face to face with the past. The names on the graves, with some exceptions, will be unfamiliar to foreigners but the busts and monuments are creative enough to give you a clue of person’s occupation.












Faxri Xiyəbani Cemetery is a cemetery of great Azeri artists, scholars and politicians, and yes, the late president Heydar Alieyev is buried there.

Can You See It?

No? I thought so, I cannot too. The smog today in Baku was especially heavy.

Casablanca y Fuente Negra

Found in Baku:

Novruz Bayram

Every year on the 21st of March Azerbaijan celebrates Novruz Holiday or Novruz Bayram. It is a celebration of the Spring Equinox, which marks a start of the New Year by Muslim Calendar. Four Tuesdays prior to Novruz are considered to be very special days. They are named for the four elements: water, fire, earth and air and celebrated by trick-or-treating and lighting small bonfires at the backyards, sidewalks or on the streets. Trick-or- treating are for kids: they ring a bell, put their hats near the door and run away in order to keep their identities a secret. People who answer the door have to fill hats with candies. Bonfires are for everyone who wants to ensure good luck for the next year – you simply leap over them 7 times and you are all set.

Today the center of the city was filled with people. The platforms for the performers were built near the Maiden Tower and along the Boulevard, a small bazaar was opened in the Old City and laughter and chatter flew in the air. Most importantly, the weather changed for the best – it was sunny and relatively warm.

So, what did we see you ask? Here it goes:

"Weightlifters"

Bazaar in the Old City

Beauties From the Old Times.

Concert of the Azeri Music

Distance in Songs.

It took 5 songs of “The Doors” to go from our house to work.

“Break on Through” accompanied us through suburbia - flying geese in the sky and stray dogs playfully rolling around on the side of the road.

“Light my Fire” carried us pass the flowers sellers opening their booths along the cemetery walls and a lonely policemen on a roundabout.

“Crystal Ship” brought us into the sea of people and cars – passengers waiting for the buses, pedestrians, crossing the roads, cars hurrying to reach their destinations.

“People Are Strange” – distracted me in a turtle like pace of Bakihanov prospect.

“Strange Days” – was the end of the journey.

Happy 8th of March!

Happy International Women's Day for those who celebrate it and for those who don't - have a happy day as well.